Exercise? I thought you said extra fries.

What’s Brewing in #HamOnt? MERIT!

Pickles, sausages, fries and craft beer. Have I died and gone to heaven? Nope. That’s MERIT Brewing, the newest addition to Hamilton’s craft beer scene.

I was lucky enough to get invited to a preview of their space (and their food!) on Sunday, and I have a feeling this place is going to be packed once it’s open. Their opening date just so happens to be this Thursday May 11th at 5pm – get ready #HamOnt!

Brain-child of Tej Sandhu, Aaron Spinney, and Jesse Vallins, MERIT has the trifecta of awesomeness that you want to see in a new place; a great social media presence, creative (but approachable) food, and interesting brews that go down easy.

Food

I tried everything, so you don’t have to. 😉 Just kidding, you probably should. The food is DELISH and I’m going to be sending everyone there.

Everything about these, yes yes yes. Basically everyone at the media tasting was raving about these fries, since they were perfectly crispy. And you can’t go wrong with Dawson’s, of course.

Baked Beans with Brisket, Onion and Beer

Was not disappointed by these – especially for $6, it’s good meaty value.

Coleslaw du Jour

Changing everyday, but the one we tried was a tangy vinaigrette style with whole mustard seeds.

Gem Lettuce Salad

Uuumm…I didn’t get a picture of this one because I don’t make friends with salad. BUT I was a fan of the pickled onions that were in this classic green salad.

Crazy Garlic Pickles

These were still crunchy and beautiful and I could eat an entire 10 jars to myself. Honestly, fellow pickle fans, you’re going to love these.

Mixed Seasonal Pickles

YES! These were so creative and awesome. I discovered that Sue from MERIT even foraged the ramps and fiddleheads for this dish, which made them taste even more delicious, imo. This is going to be my go-to and quite possibly could have been my favourite dish of the evening.

SAUSAGES

Fennel & Chili with Tomato Jam, Garlic Aioli and Fresh Oregano

My fave sausage. Loved the balance of the wet tomato-y toppings, without too much spice.

Banger with Pickled Onions and Hot English Mustard

Can’t go wrong with the pickled onions!

Pork Heart Chorizo with Hot Peppers and Green Olive Salsa Verde

I was a pretty big fan of the Green Olive Salsa Verde, and actually ended up just scooping the toppings into my mouth. The Pork Heart Chorizo was a little bit on the fatty side (which could be expected), but had some really good flavour!

Second favourite sausage. This one was completely different from the others (especially being a chicken sausage), and I loved that they served it on a naan. They recommended trying this one while sipping on the Chanan. Try it out! See what you think

Cheddar Smokie with Shaved Onion and Beer Mustard

This Smokie had a whole different texture altogether, but one that I could get behind. It was thick, hearty and filling.

An iconic design that you’ll see all over the space, their lightbulb logo is a winner. And did you expect any different from designer Jamie Lawson? I’m a fan. I feel like you’ll be seeing photos of that florescent bulb all over social media.

Atmosphere

Warehouse-esque with a modern flair. Intimate, but open concept. You can’t help falling in love with their large-windowed space (with a full view of the brewing area), filled with dark wood communal harvest tables and neon signage of their beautiful logo. It’s a place you’ll want to hang out, night (under the string lights) or by the light of day.

Hamilton Small Fries is a restaurant review and food news blog based out of Hamilton, Ontario.

Hi, I’m Heather

A marketer, designer and writer with a focus on the culinary industry; I love #HamOnt events, caffeine, pets, the wild and everything food! Find out more about me (and the story of Hamilton Small Fries) by clicking HERE